Water-air massaging device



Jan. 7, 1969 P. H. VOORLAS 3,420,227

WATERAIR MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 26, 1965 (L 4 4 o o o J m o o o o oo o o o o o o 0 K |9 L o o o o o o o o o o o o o i 4 z: 2 :1 z z 2' 2 4z: z z 2 23b 0: D O O O O O INVENTOR BY HIS ATTORNEYS //flaw 7% m UnitedStates Patent 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air injection matfor producing a massaging effect on the occupant of a bathtub is formedfrom two, undulating layers of flexible material which are sealedtogether around their peripheral edges and along longitudinallyextending seal areas where the bases of the undulations of theoppositely disposed layers contact each other. The longitudinallyextending seal areas provide spacedapart air passages through which airmay be injected upwardly into the water of a bathtub throughperforations in the upper layer. A reinforcing ring disposed between thetwo layers of material inside the peripherally sealed edges thereofserves to hold the mat in a rectangular shape and to maintain the mat onthe floor of a bathtub filled with water.

This application relates to a turbulence producing device andparticularly relates to a water-air massaging device for use in bathtubs and the like.

It is well known that a hot bath is very relaxing and may, in fact, havetherapeutic value. It is also well known that a whirlpool bath, or bathtaken in turbulent Water, adds to this therapeutic affect.

Of the devices presently available for producing turbulent water withina bath tub, many require a rather large capital expenditure as well asextensive modification to a bath tub prior to proper mounting of theunit with the tub.

Other items present the danger of electrical shock when using the unit,while still others have moving parts in the bath tub which obviouslypresent a safety hazard.

It is to elimination of these and other disadvantages to which thepresent invention is directed, along with the inclusion therein of othernovel and desirable features.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved water-airmassaging device of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the danger of receivingan electrical shock while using the device, or incurring other physicalharm from a unit with moving parts in the water.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be -morefully understood from the following description made in connection withaccompanyin drawing wherein like reference characters refer to the sameor similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional bath tub with thewater-air massaging device assembled therein.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mat of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a section of the mat of this invention, the section takenalong the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section of the mat taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

One form of the invention is shown in the drawings and is describedherein.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional bath tub, indicated in general by thenumeral 10. A water-air massage unit is mounted in tub and comprisesgenerally a mat indicated by numeral 11, a flexible hose indicated bynumeral 12 and an electrically driven blower indicated by numeral 13.

The blower 13 is preferably electrically operated and capable of 20,000rpm. It typically draws 1.6 amps and uses 250 watts. The blower operateson standard house current, volts, and is compact and lightweight so thatit is easily moved from room to room or taken on trips. Included in theblower is an adapter 14 to accept hose 12. The blower is incased inlight gauge metal and is insulated from the floor with rubber or othernonconductive footing material. The blower 13 is located, when inoperation, outside of the bath tub, generally a distance from the tubsuch that the user must get out of tub to shut it off, thereby providingan additional safety factor. The blower has a handle 15 and anelectrical plug 16, preferably a grounded plug, adapted for use in astandard household electrical outlet.

Hose 12 is typically a flexible hose constructed from pure,nonconductive vinyl. Hose 12 includes a fitting or connector 17 at oneend thereof co-operable with blower inlet adapter 14. Hose 12 alsoincludes, at the other end thereof, a connector 18 to secure the hose tomat 11 at mat hose adapter 19. The hose 12 connectors 17 and 1 8 aretypically nonconductive, resilient members such as rubber and fit snuglyinto adapters 14 and 19.

Mat 11 is constructed from heavy gauge pure vinyl and comprises twointerconnected undulating layers 20 and 22. The upper layer is generallyindicated by numeral 20 and has a plurality of spaced orifices 21therein. Upper layer 20 is superimposed on bottom layer 22 andcontinuously adhered thereto along the peripheral edges 23 thereof andalong longitudinal seal areas 2312 where base portions 25 of alignedundulations 26 and 27 are in contact. Longitudinal seal areas 23a definelongitudinal passages 2317 which aid in the distribution and directionof air flow to the orifices 21 resulting in uniform air jet flow fromall orifices. The upper surface of the mat 11 may be embossed to providea nonslip surface. The vinyl material from which the mat is constructedis typically impervious to water, oil, salt and detergents. The upperlayer is sealed to the lower layer forming a pocket containing air whichis forced through the orifices 21 by blower 13. Certain of the orifices21 may be closed to effect a varying degree of turbulence or topreselect the area within the tub in which more turbulence is desired.Rate of air flow from blower 13 may also be preselected to vary theturbulence.

A forming ring 24, constructed from a rigid, nonbuoyant material, isdisposed adjacent the inside periphery of the mat 11 along the seal area23 whereby the mat is maintained in substantially rectangular shape whenair is forced within the envelope formed by upper and lower mats 20 and22 respectively and maintained on the floor of the tub.

In operation, mat 11 is placed on the floor of tub 10. Hose 12 is thenconnected to mat 11 using hose connector 18 connected to mat adapter 19.Hose connection 17 is then inserted into blower adapter 14. The bloweris attached to a convenient source of electrical power. The tub is thenfilled with water to a desired level and at a desired temperature. Priorto entering the tub the user actuates the blower whereby air is forcedunder pressure through hose 12 and into the envelope formed between theupper and lower layers, 20 and 22, of mat 11. The air under pressure isalso forced through longitudinal paths 2311 located between longitudinalseal areas 23a. The air then flows through orifices 21 at a greatlyincreased velocity because of the reduced diameter of the orifice ascompared to the diameter of hose 12. Air flow is generally upwardly frommat 11 into the water in the tub thereby creating a high degree ofturbulence, vortices and eddy currents. This turbulence, which may alsobe described as a whirlpool affect, bombards the user with hpt watercreating a massaging effect on the user resulting in therapeutic value.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the water-air massagedevice may assume different forms and. may be made of differentmaterials. It will be understood that these and other various changesmay be made in the form, detail, arrangement and proportions of thevarious parts without departing from the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

. 1. A water-air massaging device for use in bathtubs having watertherein, said device comprising:

a mat having a lower layer adapted to be placed on the tub floor and anupper layer superimposed on I the lower layer and sealed thereto alongthe peripheral edge thereof, said upper and lower layers comprisingsheets of flexible material of undulating crosssection, said sheetsbeing arranged face-to-face with 9 their undulations so aligned that thebase portions 1 thereof are in sealing contact along longitudinal sealareas which define longitudinal passages therebetween, said mat furtherincluding a distribution passage in communication with said longitudinalpassages;

an adapter member affixed to said upper rnat layer and communicatingwith said transversely extending passage;

a plurality of spaced orifices in said upper mat layer communicatingwith said longitudinal passages whereby air under pressure introducedinto said longitudinal passages through said adapter member and saiddistribution passage will be injected through said orifices at highvelocity, thereby creating turbulence in the water in the tub in whichthe mat is installed; a flexible, air-impervious hose attached to saidadapter member; an electrically driven blower disposed at a locationremote from said mat connected to said flexible hose; and asubstantially rigid, non-buoyant, reinforcing ring of solidcross-section sandwiched between said upper and lower layers of said matimmediately inside of said peripheral "sealed edges thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,240,208 3/1966 Everston 128663,367,325 2/1968 OKeefe 128-66 3,373,740 3/1968 Riepl 12866 727,425 5/1903 Von Orth 4-180 2,848,203 8/1958 Misiura. 2,921,579 1/1960 Munroe128--66 3,299,885 1/1967 Wessel 12866 FOREIGN PATENTS 51,956 l/1912Austria. 672,118 10/1963 Canada.

LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

